A Winter Storm Watch goes into effect this weekend, beginning Saturday afternoon and lasting through Sunday afternoon. Included are: Northern Oneida, Yates, Seneca, Southern Cayuga, Onondaga, Steuben, Schuyler, Chemung, Tompkins, Madison, Southern Oneida, Cortland, Chenango, Otsego, Tioga, Broome, and Delaware counties, as well as a few counties in Pennsylvania. Heavy snow is possible with total accumulations of 12 to 20 inches. Wind gusts could get as high as 35 mph, picking up considerably Sunday afternoon. They could cause blowing snow and possible dangerously low wind chills into Sunday night. Travel could be very difficult to impossible.

Landslide Closes Lane on S.R.54A Near Hammondsport:

A landslide in the Town of Urbana as brought State Route 54A down to one lane. The closure is approximately 2.5 miles north of the Village of Hammondsport. Both directions of traffic will be accommodated in one lane using temporary traffic signals. The closure is expected to last for an extended period while repair options are evaluated and designed. An updated travel advisory will be issued prior to the start of repairs.

Accident Brings Traffic to Stop on I-86:

Traffic was brought to halt on I-86 for several hours Wednesday night following a collision and vehicle fire. First responders were called to I-86E between the Wellsburg and Elmira exits around 6 p.m. on a report that a tractor-trailer and truck collided. The tractor-trailer went off into the median and the pickup caught fire. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured. The pickup was reportedly already abandoned on the side of the road due to a flat tire when it was hit.

Sears Survives Bankruptcy Auction:

Sears has survived its bankruptcy auction and averted liquidation, for now at least. The company’s chairman and largest shareholder, Eddie Lampert, put out the sole bid for the whole company. Details are unknown, but it’s believed he offered more than $5 billion through an affiliate of his hedge fund ESL. The deal is not done, however. It must be approved at a hearing on February 1st by a bankruptcy judge in White Plains, New York.

Steuben Hall of Fame Seeking Nominees:

Nominations for the Steuben County Hall of Fame are being accepted now until March 31st, according to county Historian Emily Simms. Nominees may be any man, woman, or child living or deceased, who have enhanced the name of Steuben County. They should have resided in Steuben, but may have been born elsewhere. Past nominees not inducted into the Hall of Fame may be re-nominated. For applications and the full list of Hall of Fame honorees, go to https://www.steubencony.org/pages.asp?PID=357.